Dare to do the Derren Brown Ghost Train at Thorpe Park this Spring!

Remember the traditional Ghost Train rides you went on as a kid? A ricketty open carriage jerking its way through the darkness into spiders webs, the occasional cackling spectre leaping out in your path? Not that scary was it? Well, forget all that. Master Mindbender Derren Brown has collaborated with the Merlin Magic Maker team to drag the old fairground favourite and it’s riders kicking and screaming into the 21st century, and together they have created an unforgettable experience for Thorpe Park visitors in Spring 2016 that is definitely not for the faint-hearted!

The Ride
Enter the grimy Victorian warehouse via an iron bridge and take in the grand windows, stone lintels and brickwork column buttresses before boarding the antique carriage for the ride of your life. Don’t be fooled by the quaint exterior - this is not the Hogwarts Express, more like a ride into hell driven by the devil! Your judgement and perception will fly out of the carriage window as reality and grand illusion merge, and no-one plays mind games better than Derren Brown. You are part of the action, like it or not, for 10-15 terrifying minutes - there is no escape!

The seven tonne, 20 metre long carriage is suspended mid-air more than 3 metres above the ground on iron chains. Twelve possible journeys with two different endings provide each rider with customised scares and surprises/ shocking scenarios. As in his live shows, participants are centre stage, and Derren Brown will mess with your head until you no longer know what is real, and leave you with a cliffhanger ending! It’s a one way journey - his way, and to describe it as totally immersive is bit of an understatement. 1,000 specialists took 3 years to develop Ghost Train with the master of illusion, so don’t expect an easy ride!

The Technology
HTC Vive’s VR headsets - part of the Valve Corporation Steam VR project, has a refresh rate of 90 Hz which allows stunning virtual reality high definition displays to be rendered at 90 frames per second, and eye trackers constantly monitor the user’s point of gaze and field of view. They can display computer generated images and show images from the real world at the same time - augmented reality - a box of tricks that combines perfectly with Derren Brown’s superbly staged illusions. Add 4D special effects, live action and physical transit technology into the mix and you have a ride that is potentially more thrilling than the highest, fastest, steepest roller coaster!
Why do it?

The Derren Brown Ghost Train is the first multi-sensory experience of its kind in the world, which makes it a must-do for thrill seekers who have been there, done that. The rules have been re-written, as the theme park embraces a new age. Be part of it, but please remember, what happens in the carriage stays in the carriage, so don’t spoil it for Mr. Brown’s next victims!